Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 29 of 75

2 8 | L O U I S V I L L E . E D U
Farag adds that a virtual colonoscopy may also increase the number of people willing to get a
checkup. "If we can help make it less intrusive, quick and accurate, participation may go up and
we can really have a big impact on the number and the severity of colorectal cancer cases."
The same is true for lung cancer cases. That's of particular concern in Kentucky, a state that
traditionally ranks high in lung cancer rates. Not only can the software Farag developed help
identify potentially cancerous nodules in the lungs, but it can also assist during a biopsy. "The
software also supports the ability to
conduct an image-guided intervention
because it identifies the exact location
and size of a nodule. We could link the
software in a closed loop during a
biopsy, and it would help guide the
instruments being used for the
collection of tissue, making sure it goes
precisely to the area where the nodule
was identified. So it helps in the
diagnosis, and it helps in the treatment
as well."
One of Dr. Farag's earliest patents
came from work in collaboration with
the School of Dentistry to produce an
optical reconstruction of the human
jaw using a small camera attached to a
dental probe. Inserted into the mouth,
the device quickly generates detailed
images of the upper and lower jaw
which are then used to create a 3-D
rendering to analyze tooth movement,
implants, gum disease and other
conditions. A prototype has been
developed through grants from the
National Science Foundation (NSF)
and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the hope is to create a small, inexpensive device
that can be regularly used by dentists. According to Farag, the lab was the first in the world that
started using this type of optical scanning mechanism. Current versions developed by others
are large and awkward to use, as well as expensive. "Instead of it being a $30,000 machine,
we're working toward making a $1,000 machine available," says Farag. This could make it
more available to rural areas, where there may not be easy access to care and images could be
transmitted to specialists for review. "It gets into telemedicine, or medicine over the cloud.
It's a whole new realm of information technology in this area."
A PICTURE OF DETERMINATION
Dr. Farag and the lab's work have also played a hand in advancing the research of fellow
colleagues at UofL, notably Dr. Manuel Casanova, Kolb Endowed Chair in Psychiatry and
Vice Chair for Research at the School of Medicine. "It's been a very fruitful collaboration," says
Dr. Casanova, who used Dr. Farag's imaging technology to identify differences in the brain
structure and functionality of people diagnosed with autism, dyslexia and other disorders.
"Some conditions, especially autism, can be very difficult to diagnose because they rely on
observing behavior, which can be subjective," notes Casanova. But the brain scans provided
more objective data that can help with early diagnosis. Adds Farag, "That makes all the
"Lung and colorectal cancer are among the leading causes of cancer deaths in the U.S., but they don't have
to be. Early detection means early treatment, and that improves the prognosis signiﬁ cantly."
—Aly Farag
Marwa Ismail, doctoral
student at the CVIP Lab,
researches advanced
visualization methods for early
detection of colon cancer.
U L _ 2 8 2 8 UL_28 28 1 / 2 7 / 1 4 9 : 3 8 A M 1/27/14 9:38 AM